charcoal rake?

[Troy]

anyone have any recommendations for a charcoal rake?

I've been using an old pair of tongs to move charcoal around. They've held up fine for several years.

However they're not long enough or efficient enough for use with the ranch kettle.

The Steven Raichlen charcoal rake doesn't look that great, especially for the price.

I was thinking of just buying a garden hoe and cutting the handle down.

[Maxmbob]

I use an old hoe with the handle cut off about 15" from the blade.

[Troy]

I use an old hoe with the handle cut off about 15" from the blade.

thanks!
I remember someone here doing that, but i couldn't remember who

[WNC]

Probably wouldn't work in a ranch, but I use an old long handled spatula

[pbe gummi bear]

Anything long and flat will work. What about an avalanche shovel or a trench shovel from a military surplus store?

[Troy]

A few weeks ago I saw a shitty katana at a resale shop. Think I could bend the tip into a rake shape?

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[swamprb]

I'll second the short handle old hoe!

The only thing I ever use it on is the La Caja China.

Don't have a pic of mine, never really thought of taking one, but the coals do get HOT and it is a must! If I had a Ranch Kettle, it would also be a do without tool!

[mike.stavlund]

I was cooking on a rented 6-foot grill earlier this month, and I used a shovel.  It might have been too big for the job, but I could imagine I was Aaron Franklin, leaning on it while tending the smoker. 

Srsly though I would try visiting a nursery or gardening specialty store.  I'll bet you could find a narrow rake or tined digging tool with a long handle. 

[Darko]

Hands & welding gloves work ok.

[Jon]

Hard to beat eight bucks and Amazon Prime.

https://www.amazon.com/Bayou-Classic-500-586-Ash-Rake/dp/B004CPFBQ2/ref=sr_1_1?s=lawn-garden&rps=1&ie=UTF8&qid=1468291032&sr=1-1&keywords=bayou+classic+ash+rake&refinements=p_85%3A2470955011

[Travis]

What about a crappy pair of Replacement tongs from the dollar store? Not as cool, though.


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[Troy]

What about a crappy pair of Replacement tongs from the dollar store? Not as cool, though.


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That's what I've been using.  Not long enough or wide enough

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[Metal Mike]

Hard to beat eight bucks and Amazon Prime.

https://www.amazon.com/Bayou-Classic-500-586-Ash-Rake/dp/B004CPFBQ2/ref=sr_1_1?s=lawn-garden&rps=1&ie=UTF8&qid=1468291032&sr=1-1&keywords=bayou+classic+ash+rake&refinements=p_85%3A2470955011

Good stuff, similar to the one I grabbed @ walmart except 24" & it has "teeth" on bottom.
cost me >2$ more tho

Funny, when I bought it the cashier girl said "damn, you could kill someone with that!"
I nodded, winked & told her it was for my grill...

[Hell Fire Grill]

I used an old hoe that I ground to almost match the profile of the kettle, it'll spread coals and it'll scrape the greasy ashy muck out of the kettle in between cleanings.



When I tend a fire in one of my pits or wood stove I use a bow rake (with the heavy solid tines), cut down to like 6 tines, to move coals around and keep air flowing proper.

You can find either at a second hand store and modify'em with without too much trouble or expense.

One advantage to using a coal spreader with a ranch is you can spread the coals out fast so your heat don't get away from you, as well as keeping the hair on your knuckles intact.

[mhiszem]

@swamprb I was just thinking about this since we are using our La Caja China this weekend.